Category Archives: Bob

A real sticky situation

November 7, 2020Bob, Columns, Farmingsusanmanzke

My column archives showed how a farmer can get into a tight situation when working alone.

In this essay, I retell Bob’s story.

Bob wasn’t laughing while he was trapped but later he did, especially about having a dead cat for company.

I hope you enjoy hearing more about my farmer.

Harvest dreams Part 2

November 5, 2020Bob, Columns, Farmingsusanmanzke

The bad and the ugly with harvest ended with friends saving the day.

Bob worked hard and hated to ask for help, but in the end, that’s what he had to do after more problems occurred with our combine.

I remember freezing as I helped outside with harvest. I was just a helper. Bob ran ideas past me and I gave him my two cents, but he cast the deciding vote as to what we would do in the end.

Sometimes I came up with a solution he never expected–I often helped by throwing out crazy ideas.

Harvest dreams

November 4, 2020Bob, Columns, Sunnybook Farmsusanmanzke

This 2008 column is about a big combine breakdown. It took another farmer stopping by to notice the problem.

Below is my reading of Harvest Dreams–it could also be named Harvest nightmares.

The combine problem wasn’t resolved this day. Parts for the old machine were hard to find.

Come back tomorrow for the outcome of Harvest Dreams

The invisible man

October 31, 2020Bob, Family, worksusanmanzke

For a long time, Bob was invisible, working too much so he wasn’t seen by friends and family.

For once, it looked liked he’d be able to join the family for an Illinois wedding. Too bad for us something out of our control happened.

It wasn’t easy leaving Bob home. More was on my shoulders, but most of all I missed him.

Bob was not alone. I hear from other women who married a man like Bob, a workaholic. It’s a tough life for all, but we all continue to honor all those hardworking men.

Bob’s odd sense of humor

October 27, 2020Bob, Columns, Farmingsusanmanzke

My husband looked at the world a bit cockeyed. His humor showed by the way he laughed at odd happenings.

When I wrote this column, we had been married 9 years. I was still learning about life with Bob.

Bob really cracked me up. He was quiet but if you listened to what he mumbled you’d end up laughing.

In sharing these posts, I keep Bob close to me.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person